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Witchcraft Beliefs, Social Relations, and Development

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  • Boris Gershman

Abstract

Beliefs in witchcraft, or the ability of certain people to intentionally cause harm via supernatural means, have been documented across societies all over the world. Extensive ethnographic research on this phenomenon over the past century explored the many roles of witchcraft beliefs in communities highlighting both their social functions and detrimental consequences. Yet, empirical evidence based on systematic statistical analyses or experiments has been lacking until very recently. This chapter reviews the nascent literature on witchcraft beliefs in economics and other quantitative social sciences and summarizes the main directions and results of this research to date. The major themes discussed in the chapter include social relations, economic development, and institutions in their connection to witchcraft beliefs.

Suggested Citation

  • Boris Gershman, 2021. "Witchcraft Beliefs, Social Relations, and Development," Working Papers 2021-01, American University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:amu:wpaper:2021-01
    DOI: 10.17606/QJ3E-6334
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    File URL: https://doi.org/10.17606/QJ3E-6334
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nathan Nunn & Raul Sanchez de la Sierra, 2017. "Why Being Wrong Can Be Right: Magical Warfare Technologies and the Persistence of False Beliefs," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(5), pages 582-587, May.
    2. Edward Miguel, 2005. "Poverty and Witch Killing," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 72(4), pages 1153-1172.
    3. Ruth Mace & Matthew G. Thomas & Jiajia Wu & QiaoQiao He & Ting Ji & Yi Tao, 2018. "Population structured by witchcraft beliefs," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 2(1), pages 39-44, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Voigt, Stefan, 2022. "Determinant of Social Norms," ILE Working Paper Series 58, University of Hamburg, Institute of Law and Economics.
    2. George Mayaka Nyakweba & Vincent Munywoki, phD & Maria Ntarangwe, PhD, 2022. "Prevalence on Witchcraft Beliefs and The Psychological Well-Being of Elderly People in Masaba South Sub-County Kisii County Kenya," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 6(8), pages 234-242, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Culture; Development; Institutions; Religion; Social capital; Witchcraft;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General
    • Z12 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Religion
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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